Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS)

Scope

EELS is a characterization technique that measures the energy lost by incident electrons upon interaction with a sample in a transmission electron microscope, providing data about elements and their chemical bonding at atomic resolution at specific analysis points, lines, or areas.

EELS analysis evaluates:

• Elemental composition and quantitative chemical analysis at atomic-scale spatial resolution
• Chemical bonding state, oxidation state, and coordination environment identification
• Electronic structure characterization using near-edge fine structure (ELNES) analysis
• Light element detection, including carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and boron, at nanometer resolution
• Phase identification and interface chemistry across material boundaries and thin film systems

Applications

• Advanced metals, alloys, and intermetallic compounds requiring atomic-scale chemical characterization
• Semiconductor devices, thin films, and nanoscale electronic material systems
• Ceramic, oxide, and nitride materials requiring chemical bonding and oxidation state analysis
• Failure analysis investigations requiring nanoscale elemental and chemical root cause evaluation
• Academic and industrial research programs requiring atomic-resolution chemical characterization data

Benefits

• Provides atomic-scale elemental and chemical bonding data unavailable through conventional analytical techniques
• Supports advanced material development, process optimization, and nanoscale quality assurance programs
• Identifies nanoscale chemical failure mechanisms in support of root cause failure analysis
• Delivers traceable, quantitative chemical characterization data
• Reduces material development risk by providing atomic-resolution chemical intelligence early in the design cycle